The government commits to waste recycling and recovery

The new national waste and resources plan 2017 provides for the transition towards a circular economy.

07-11-2017

The national waste and resources plan defines the key aspects of the future management of wastewith the aim of contributing to the transition towards a circular economy. It includes an inventory of the existing waste management infrastructure and analyses the future needs of such infrastructure. For the different waste flows, it includes a certain number of measures regarding the prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery and elimination of waste and resources.

The objectives provided for in the national waste and resources plan are ambitious andgo beyond the levels prescribed by the existing or future Community obligations. In particular, Luxembourg aims to reach these levels according to a shorter timeline.

The broad lines of the national waste and resources plan

The new waste plan provides for no less than 52 objectives and 95 measures. Here is a selection of the key objectives:

recycle at least 55% of all household waste and similar waste;

connect all of Luxembourg's municipalities to one or several mobile or fixed recycling centres;

reduce the quantity of bulky waste by 20%;

promote repairing and reusing;

reduce the quantity of food waste by 50%;

encourage and reinforce the separate collection of bio-waste in order to achieve full coverage in Luxembourg;

recover green waste;

prevent excavation rubble;

recycle at least 70% of packaging waste by 2022;

ban free plastic bags at points of sale;

promote the use of reusable packaging;

zero littering;

reach a collection rate of at least 65% of batteries and accumulators.

The public will be consulted between November 2017 and January 2018 in order to discuss the planned objectives and measures. On the basis of the comments submitted during the public survey, the plan will be adjusted where necessary. The final version of the plan will be submitted to the Government Council for final approval.

(Source: Press release from the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure)